Electric humidifier



July 18, 1961 J. 0. FICHTNER ELECTRIC HUMIDIFIER 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 1, 1959 JAMES O.FICHTNER INVENTOR.

July 18, 1961 J. o. FICHTNER ELECTRIC HUMIDIFIER 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed June 1, 1959 FIG.6

FIG.3

FIG.4

JAMES O. FICI-ITN ER INVENTOR.

July 18, 1961 J. o. FlCHTNER 2,993,107

ELECTRIC HUMIDIFIER Filed June 1, 1959 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 f H IOcL PAN LEVEL CONTROL SWITCH O Human-Y CO TROLLER RELAY E I4i l LEGEND 24 VOLT us voul us -24- VOLT g rams FORMER L FAN SWITCH 1 FAN C MoToR JAMES O. FICHTNER INVENTOR. BY W 2,993,107 ELECTRIC HUMIDIFIER James 0. Fichtner, Milwaukee, Wis., assignor to Worthington Corporation, Harrison, N.J., a corporation of Delaware Filed June 1, 1959, Ser. No. 317 ,27 3 8 Claims. (Cl. 219-38) This invention relates generally to air conditioning and more particularly to an automatically refillable electric humidifier for air conditioning system or heating system to provide means for adding moisture to air as it flows through the system.

It is known in the art to provide an automatically refillable humidifier which utilizes a float or similar type control for opening and closing the valve in the inlet line for the water to be delivered to the reservoir in the humidifier. This construction, however, presents many problems because the water is continually admitted in limited amounts and the valve mechanism is therefore in continuous operation producing excessive mineral deposits and constant wear on the seals and the valve seats.

Furthermore, in humidifiers which depend on evaporation alone to supply the necessary moisture to the air being conditioned, mineral deposits in the reservoir form a film on the surface of the reservoir which inhibits this action.

The present invention overcomes these problems by providing a humidifier which has a solenoid operated inlet valve, such valve being placed in open position only for the minimum time required to fill the evaporating pan which filling means coacts with an immersion type heating means for positively heating the water in the evaporating pan to produce the desired rate of evaporation; the entire humidifier being characterized by a partition between the evaporating section and the section containing the controls, which partition permits the immersion type heating means to be pivotably mounted therein for easy removal and replacement of the evaporating pan and to provide means for mounting the solenoid actuating mechanism so it can coact with the evaporating pan as called for during operation of the humidifier,

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide an automatically refillable electrically operated humidifier wherein the supply of water to the evaporating pan is positively controlled and the valve in the inlet line for the water remains open only the minimum time required to fill the evaporating pan during operation of the humidifier.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an automatically refillable electrically operated humidifier which device includes a partition to the housing into an evaporating section and a control section which partition provides means for hinging the electrical device for heating the water to be evaporated during operating of the humidifier and means for mounting the mechanism for actuating the flow of water to the point where it will be evaporated.

It is another object of the present invention to provide an actuating means which co-acts with the evaporating pan to signal the positive operation of the control valve for admitting water to the evaporating pan.

Further objects and advantages of the invention will become evident from the following description with reference to the accompanying drawings in which:

In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a plan view of a preferred form of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is a side view of the preferred form of the invention.

FIGURE 3 is an end view of the preferred form of the invention with the cover for the housing removed.

rates Patent i Patented July 18, 1961 FIGURE 4 is a view taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is an exploded view of the actuating linkage for operating the switch which controls the solenoid operated inlet valve.

FIGURE 6 is a rear view of one of the linkage elements in the switch actuating mechanism.

FIGURE 7 is a perspective view of the evaporating pan showing the pivoting brackets and the lever arm which coact with the switch actuating mechanism.

FIGURE 8 is a diagrammatic sketch of the electrical circuit for the humidifier.

Referring to the drawings, FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 show a preferred form of the humidifier having a substantially rectangular housing 1 with a partition 2 therein to form an evaporating section generally designated 3 and a control section 4. A flange 5 about the housing provides the means for mounting the humidifier to the plenum chamber (not shown) of the system or heater with which it will be utilized, it being understood that the humidifier could also be placed in the duct of an air conditioning system without departing from the scope of the present invention.

A cover 6 is provided to close the front of the respective evaporating section and control section when the humdifier is in assembled position and to permit easy access thereto for removing the evaporator pan 7 or for gaining easy access to the elements in the control section 4.

A fluid inlet pipe 8 is provided to deliver a fluid such as water to the evaporating pan 7 and as shown in FIG URES 1 and 3, the inlet pipe 8 extends through the control section and the partition 2 and into the evaporating section where the discharge end or nozzle 9 is disposed to deliver the fluid directly into the evaporating pan 7. Flow of fluid through the inlet 8 is controlled by a normally closed solenoid operated valve 10 having the conventional solenoid coil 16a which type valves are well known and easily purchasable on the open market and hence not more fully described in the present specification.

The solenoid coil 10 is connected by lines 11 and 12 to a switch 13 mounted on the partition 2 so that the switch button '14 extends through the partition 2 into the evaporating chamber.

The solenoid coil 10, the lines 11 and 12 and the switch 13 are connected in a circuit, as shown in FIG- URE 8.

FIGURE 8 shows that there is a low voltage circuit and a power circuit.

The low voltage circuit connects to lines 14a and 14b to a relay 14c. The low voltage circuit energizes the relay only when the system fan is in operation. Thus, the relay must be in operation before the pan level control switch 13 can act to actuate the solenoid coil 10a and its associated valve 10.

The power supply for the heating element 40 enters separately through lines 14d and 14e. Line 14d is the conventional ground side of the circuit. Line 14a connects to a humidity controller 48 which communicates with the switch 13 through line 14g. Since the power supply for the heating element 4% flows through the relay contacts 1411 and 141', when the pan level control switch 13 is moved to a closed position the solenoid coil 10a will be energized to open valve 10.

When valve 10 is open fluid flows through the inlet line 8 for discharge from the nozzle 9 into the evaporating pan 7.

Actuating means for the switch The means for actuating the switch is mounted on the partition as shown in FIGURES 3 and 4 of the drawingsand will coact with the evaporating pan as is hereinafter described.

Thus, as shown in FIGURES 1, 3 and 7 of the drawings, the evaporating pan 7 has support brackets 15' and 16 on one side and an arm 17 on the side remote from the support brackets so that the pan can be pivotally mounted by the brackets on a fulcrum as at 18 and 1.9. The arm 17 will then be disposed to coact with one leg 20 of an L-shaped member 21 pivotally connected to a bracket 22 on the face of the partition 2 so that the depending leg 23 of the L-shaped member is disposed to operate the switch button 14.

The L-shaped member 21' and its pivotal connections are clearly shown in FIGURES and 6 of the drawings.

A spring 24 is connected at one end to a lug 25 on the leg 20 of the L-shaped member and at the end remote therefrom to a slidable tensioning element 26 threadably connected to the threaded member 27 mounted in a tensioning bracket 28 on the partition 2. The threaded member 27 is disposed so that the head 29 of the threaded member 27 in assembled position extends to the exterior of the housing where it may be reached easily for adjusting the desired tension on the spring 24 to provide the necessary balancing of the Weight of the water in the evaporating pan 7.

FIGURES 5 and 6 show a laterally extending arm 30 disposed on the leg 20 of the L-s'haped member which is slanted transverse to the plane of leg 20 to insure that the pan arm 17 will be positioned on the upper face of leg 20 when it is moved into position in the evaporating section 3 of the apparatus.

Operation In operation, the spring is tensioned by adjusting the tensioning element 26 so that when the evaporator pan is in assembled position, but empty, the L-shaped member 21 is balanced to just bring the depending leg 23 into firm contact with the end of the switch button 14.

In this position, the circuit is open or in the on position and current passes from the lines 14d and Me to actuate the solenoid coil a. Solenoid coil 10a moves the valve to open position and fluid flows through the inlet line 8 and discharge nozzle 9 into the evaporating pan 7.

Flow of fluid will continue until the weight of the fluid delivered to the evaporating pan 7 causes the evaporating pan to pivot clockwise about the fulcrum points 18 and 19 thus pressing the arm 17 against the leg 20 of the L shaped member 21 so that its depending leg 23 moves the switch button 14 into the off position. In the off position the current stops flowing to the solenoid coil 10a and the valve 10 automatically moves to a closed position in a manner well known in the art for this type of valve.

As water is evaporated from the evaporating pan 7 by the flow of air and the electrical heating means hereinafter described the weight of the water decreases and the spring which is tensioned when water is introduced into the pan will counterbalance the decreasing weight of the water and move the L-shaped member 21 so that it releases its tension on the switch button 14. When the tension is reduced to a point which moves the switch button 14 back to the on position current will again flow to the solenoid coil 10a and once again the valve 10 opens to pass fluid to the evaporating pan. When the fluid fills the pan again the switch button will be moved to the off position as above described the process of filling and evaporating will automatically repeat itself so long as the device is in operation.

The L-shaped member 21 and the switch button 14 will be so dimensioned that the switch Will have'limits between the on and the off position suflicient to enable the fluid in the evaporating pan to substantially evaporate before a new charge of fluid will be introduced therein...

In the present device, in addition to the air evaporating water from the evaporating pan as it flows past the humidifier a positive means of evaporating the water for the evaporating pan is divided.

This is accomplished by means of an electrical heater which includes an immersion type heating means 40-.

The immersion type heating means 40 is an integral member and includes a convoluted section 41 sized to fit into the evaporating pan 7 and positioned in heating position about midway between the upper and lower depth of the fluid to be evaporated from the pan. The convoluted portion communicates with a gooseneck type bend which extends through an opening 42 in the partition 2 and a heating means support plate 43 in turn hinged to a heating means support plate bracket 44 on the control section face of the partition 2.

The support plate 43 is larger than the opening 42 so that in heating position the control section is always segregated from the evaporating section.

By reason of the hinged connection the heating means may be manually lifted or pivoted from its position in the evaporating pan 7 and the evaporating pan may be removed or replaced as is necessary for cleaning or for replacing the liner 7a when mineral deposits become excessive.

The immersion type heating means 40 is connected into a circuit with the humidity controller 48 and the lines 14a and lab as shown in FIGURE 8. The humidity controller is adjusted by turning control knob 49 disposed on the exterior of the housing 1 to set the heat output for the immersion type heating means for the rate of evaporation desired.

The humidity controller 48 is wired between the switching relay 14c and the heating element 40. In this position the control operates as a timer, to control the period of time that the immersion type heating means will be delivering heat to the fluid in the evaporating pan.

At the position marked high on knob 49 the control is locked in to deliver power to heat the immersion type heating means 40 whenever the switching relay is closed. On decreasing settings of knob 49, for example 6, 4, 2, etc., the time that the element is on is reduced, with a corresponding reduction in the rate of evaporation.

At the off position of the knob 49, the circuit to the solenoid coil 10a will be broken.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific construction or arrangement of parts shown but that they may be widely modified within the invention defined by the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An automatically refillable humidifier for conditioning air comprising, a housing, a partition in said housing to delineate an evaporating section and a control section, an evaporating means disposed to extend outwardly of said housing to dispose the evaporating means in the stream of air to be conditioned, said evaporating means pivotally connected in the evaporating section on the side of said section remote from the partition, fluid delivery means having an outlet for fluid to be evaporated disposed to deliver the fluid to the evaporating means, electrically operated means in said control section operatively connected to said fluid delivery means for controlling the delivery of fluid to the evaporating means, and spring loaded actuating means on said partition coacting with the free side of said evaporating means to supportably carry said evaporating means, said actuated means responsive to the weight of fluid in said evaporating means to signal the electrically operated means to pass fluid to the evaporating means as needed.

2. In an automatically refillable humidifier as claimed in claim 1 wherein said evaporatingmeans has an arm on the side remote from the pivotally mounted side, and

the actuating means includes, a switch in said partition to control the flow of current to said electrically operated means, an L-shaped levrr disposed on said partition to move the switch to an on and off position, and spring means having a predetermined tension to balance the weight of water when the switch is in the o position, said arms and L-shaped lever constructed and arranged so that the lever is moved on pivoted movement of the evaporating means with variations in the weight of the fluid therein.

3. An automatically refillable humidifier for conditioning air comprising, a housing, a partition in said housing to delineate an evaporating section and a control section, an evaporating means disposed to extend outwardly of said housing to dispose the evaporating means in the stream of air to be conditioned, said evaporating means pivotally connected in the evaporating section on the side of said section remote from the partition, fluid delivery means having an outlet for fluid to be evaporated disposed to deliver the fluid to the evaporating means, electrically operated means in said control section operatively connected to said fluid delivery means for control ling the delivery of fluid to the evaporating means, and spring loaded actuating means on said partition coacting with the free side of said evaporating means to supportably carry said evaporating means, said actuating means responsive to the weight of fluid in said evaporating means to signal the electrically operated means to pass fluid to the evaportaing means as needed, heating means connected to said partition for pivoted movement relative the evaporating means, said heating means disposed to be pivoted into engagement with the fluid in the evaporating means to positively evaporate fluid therefrom and to be pivoted out of engagement with the fluid in the evaporating means for easy removal and replacement thereof.

4. An automatically refillable humidifier for conditioning air comprising, a housing, a partition in said housing to delineate an evaporating section and a control section, an evaporating means disposed to extend outwardly of said housing to dispose the evaporating means in the stream of air to be conditioned, said evaporating means pivotally connected in the evaporating section on the side of said section remote from the partition, fluid delivery means having an outlet for fluid to be evaporated disposed to deliver the fluid to the evaporating means, electrically operated means in said control section operatively connected to said fluid delivery means for controlling the delivery of fluid to the evaporating means, means coacting with the side of said evaporating means remote from the pivoted side and responsive to the weight of the fluid therein to signal the electrically operated means for delivery of fluid to said evaporating means, an immersion heater mounted in said partition for pivotal movement into and out of the fluid in said evaporating means, and means in said control section connected to said immersion heater for delivering current to said immersion heater for evaporating the fluid when the heating means is disposed therein.

5. In an automatically refillable humidifier as claimed in claim 1 having a switch in said control section mounted on said partion to control the flow of current to said electrically operated means, said switch having a switch button disposed to extend through said partition into the evaporating section, and said actuating means operatively connected to said switch button to actuate the switch.

6. 'In an automatically refillable humidifier as claimed in claim 5 wherein said evaporating means has an arm on the side remote from the pivotally mounted side, and the actuating means includes, a switch in said partion to control the flow of current to said electrically operated means, an L-shaped lever disposed on said partition to move the switch to an on and o position, and spring means having a predetermined tension to balance the weight of water when the switch is in the ofl position, said arm and L-shaped lever constructed and arranged so that the lever is moved on pivoted movement of the evaporating means with variations in the weight of fluid therein.

7. An automatically refillable humidifier for conditioning air comprising, a housing, a partition in said housing to delineate an evaporating section and a control section, an evaporating means disposed to extend outwardly of said housing to dispose the evaporating means in the stream of air to be conditioned, said evaporating means pivotally connected in the evaporating section on the side of said section remote from the partition, fluid delivery means having an outlet for fluid to be evaporated disposed to deliver the fluid to the evaporating means, electrically operated means in said control section operatively connected to said fluid delivery means for controlling the delivery of fluid to the evaporating means, a switch in said control section mounted on said partition to control the flow of current to said electrically operated valve, said switch having a switch button disposed to extend through said partition into the evaporating section, spring loaded actuating means on said partition supportably carrying the side of said evaporating means remote from its pivoted side and operatively connected to the switch button to actuate the switch responsive to the weight of fluid in said evaporating means, and immersion type heating means connected to said partition for pivoted movement relative the evaporating means, said heating means disposed to be pivoted into engage ment with the fluid in the evaporating means to positively evaporate fluid therefrom and to be pivoted out of engagement with the fluid in the evaporating means for easy removal and replacement thereof.

8. In an automatically reliable humidifier as claimed in claim 7 including, means in said control section connected to said heating means for delivering current to said heating means for evaporating the fluid from the evaporating means when the heating means is disposed therein.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,706,903 Smith et al. Mar. 26, 1929 1,936,895 Ametsberger et al. Nov. 28, 1933 2,688,687 Runkle Sept. 7, 1954 2,708,435 Lewis May 17, 1955 2,794,897 Giles June 4, 1957 2,804,870 Chelini Sept. 3, 1957 2,839,279 Harris et al. June 17, 1958 2,845,944 Bock Aug. 5, 1958 

